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Tips to Improve Memory

June 10, 2014

Written byCuriosity Staff

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As time wears on, it becomes more and more important to improve one's memory. Think about what you ate for lunch yesterday. Now think about what you ate for lunch today 20 years ago. If it's a bit difficult to recall such minute details from the past, don't worry. Memories become fuzzy as we age, as our diets and physical activity decline, and as we stuff new information into our brains. But just how much can the human mind handle at once? The hippocampus—or part of the brain responsible for memory regulation—is thought to have about seven slots that hold an unknown amount of memories at a time. Our short-term memory allows us roughly 30 seconds to process and use information we receive before it's squeezed out for something better. If we use it in time, we can log it into our long-term memories, where it can stay with us forever.

And although most of our memories before age three or four are gone, there are plenty of ways we can contribute to brain health moving forward. Did you know a whiff of rosemary can help trigger memory? That's not to say you should run to your spice rack to recall old tidbits of information. Instead, view this playlist for useful tips and tricks to maximize your mental storage space.